Proper Laws — Yurok

Every year along the Klamath River salmon were plentiful. Downstream people let plenty of salmon pass for our people, and we let plenty of salmon pass for upstream people. Salmon that gathered behind our weirs were so thick that the weirs bulged. Our main official knew to set the prescribed the traps and gates, and he and his relatives took their salmon first. His first assistant and his relatives took their salmon second. His second assistant and her relatives took their salmon third. Altogether, our nine families took only the salmon that we needed. Then our officials opened the gates to let the salmon pass. Every year, we strictly adhered to the prescribed process. This is why every year salmon were plentiful along the Klamath.